CHESTER — Expected or not, the Philadelphia Union have played from ahead most of the season in the chase for the Supporters’ Shield. It’s forced a club with a chaser’s mentality to massage the narrative from time to time.
The approach to Saturday’s rarity — a win and the trophy is yours situation against New York City FC — is no different.
“We’ve always come up with narratives of, can we stay the hunters as opposed to the hunted,” coach Bradley Carnell said Saturday. “We’ve always come up with different ways to push the season where it hasn’t felt comfortable. Even though we were always in a comfortable position, there’s never been a bit of comfort in these walls. So there’s always been some added driving initiatives to keep the competition, to keep it humble, to keep it on the ground, and just moving one step at a time”
The next step could be the last. The Union (19-7-6, 63 points) can hit 66 points and 20 wins if they defeat third-placed New York City FC on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV+). No other team can reach that benchmark if they win out.
The Shield clinching situations get complicated if the Union draw or lose. They are four points clear of the field entering Saturday and would hold the lead on Monday no matter what. But two weeks to stew on it through the international break and a trip to Charlotte would be the hard way to get their trophy.
Saturday’s is much simpler: Win and the second trophy in club history is theirs with a week to spare.
“There’s another three points on the line, and it’s massive,” Carnell said. “If we can get that, it’ll be awesome. But trying to filter out the noise and just to continue what we do, that’s been the whole driving factor this week.”
New York City FC (17-10-5, 56 points) won’t be an easy game. It has risen from the fringes of the Eastern playoff picture to the top four with an 8-2-1 run since mid-July. It is coming off a derby win over New York Red Bulls that effectively ended their rival’s playoff hopes.
One piece of collateral damage from that game was goalie Matt Freese leaving with an injury.
But the former Union Homegrown is recovering well enough to have been included Thursday in the latest U.S. men’s national team roster for October friendlies, and he could play a role this week.
The Episcopal Academy graduate was in goal in place of an injured Andre Blake on Nov. 8, 2020, when the Union clinched the Shield with a 2-0 win over New England.
The Union have injury questions of their own this week. Quinn Sullivan is lost for the season with an ACL tear, which imposes an emotional burden.
“Quinn is probably one of the guys who least deserves that kind of injury because of how professional he is, the mentality he has. But it happens,” forward Bruno Damiani said. “I told him, whatever he needs, the team is going to be here for him. I know he’s going to pass through this and he’s going to be even stronger. It’s not hard for us; it’s hard for him, and obviously we are going to miss him on the field. But off the field, we’re going to keep on getting even closer, because these situations show how strong the group is.”
Indiana Vassilev (knee) and Mikael Uhre (leg) are both in question.
Tai Baribo will re-enter the lineup after he was suspended due to yellow-card accumulation from last Saturday’s 6-0 win in D.C. United. Milan Iloski started up top, but the offense ignited when Uhre came on and Iloski got on the ball as a No. 10.
This week, that might be the default, with Baribo and Damiani up top. If the Union need a second 10 if Vassilev can’t go, both Ben Bender and Cavan Sullivan are options.
Bender subbed on in the 83rd against D.C., his first minutes since July 5. Sullivan, who was fighting a minor groin strain, will depart for the Under-17 World Cup next week. He’s played 185 minutes in the league with the Union this year, plus three appearances in the U.S. Open Cup to augment six goals and five assists in 911 minutes with Union II.
“Ben has added a bit of versatility to his game, where he’s able to now roll out in different positions, which is really good,” Carnell said of the former Charlotte draft pick, signed as a free agent in May. “So through training, through necessity, we’ve bounced him around in different positions in a bit of an all-rounder mentality, and he’s embraced that role really well as well. So excited to see Ben progressing.”
A more likely option could be to use one of the three No. 6s as the 10 position. Danley Jean Jacques seems particularly suited to the role.
“We’ll be fine,” Carnell said. “We’ll just have to make sure that we are smart in what we do now for the next couple of days. And the training has been very competitive this week. The competition we have, it drives real intensity.”
